Vermont Food System News

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June 2020

Farm to Plate is Vermont’s food system plan being implemented statewide to increase economic development and jobs in the farm and food sector and improve access to healthy local food for all Vermonters.

www.vtfarmtoplate.com

Farm to Plate Statement of Solidarity

The Farm to Plate team at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund stands in solidarity with the Black and African American community in condemning the murders of and demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and countless others. Floyd’s murder, and the protests unfolding across the country, are a stark reminder that while we have been in the throes of a health crisis these past three months, the crises of racism, racial inequality, and white supremacy have embroiled our nation’s entire history and continue to live with us today.We recognize that our food system in the United States and Vermont was built upon the systemic exploitation of Black and Brown bodies (A Nation Built on the Back of Slavery and Racism) and land (The Great Land Robbery). And it's this institutional racism that has continued to this day that further disenfranchises black communities, black farmers, and food workers.

Vermonters cannot absolve themselves from this history or current reality and it is not enough to simply acknowledge this situation. We must take action to dismantle white supremacy and the Vermont Farm to Plate Network firmly recommits itself to that mission.

We find hope in the many individuals and organizations, including here in Vermont, that have worked tirelessly on addressing racism broadly and specifically within the food system for decades. This is an opportunity to elevate their work and galvanize support and solidarity. Please find links to these organizations, and other resources addressing racism and racial inequality in a newly created Racial Justice and Equity collection on the Farm to Plate website. This is a small first step in what is our ongoing commitment to working towards achieving racial equality and ending systemic racism and a culture of white supremacy.

In Solidarity,

The Vermont Farm to Plate Network Team.

Access the Racial Justice and Equity Collection

The Farm to Plate Network's Farm to Plate 2.0 public survey is now live and we need your help sharing this with Vermonters far and wide because we need their input! We are hoping you will fill out the survey and consider sharing this with your networks and community.

Help shape the future farming and food development in Vermont. Share your input and be entered to win a $50 gift certificate to a Vermont farmers market of your choice. By participating, you’ll be adding your voice to the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan.

Additional questions about this survey can be directed to Jake Claro at jake@vsjf.org .

Take the F2P 2.0 Public Input Survey

Get the Media Kit (Contains Images and Sample Outreach Text)

Farm to Plate 2.0 Strategic Plan

In 2019, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) was reauthorized by the Vermont state legislature to create the Farm to Plate 2.0 Strategic Plan. The plan will be presented as a series of product, market, and issue briefs highlighting current conditions, bottlenecks and gaps, opportunities, and recommendations for a wide range of topics relating to agriculture and food in Vermont. Part One was published in January 2020 and Part Two will be available in June 2020. The final version of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan 2.0 will be delivered to the Vermont state legislature in January 2021.

Access Each F2P 2.0 Brief Individually

New Resources for Community Food Access

Workshop on Local Planning for Food Access

Northeastern Vermont Development Association and other members of the Farm to Plate Network are hosting a virtual training on Local Planning for Food Access Wednesday, June 24, from 4:00-5:30 p.m. Register here.

This training will help planners and advocates explore the relationship between municipal planning and food access, providing an overview of a wide array of strategies that could be included in a plan and potential partners and data sources for the decision making process. Incorporating food access in your local planning can raise awareness and build broad public support for food access initiatives, and there are a wide variety of ways to include food access in many different plan sections. If your community is already engaged in food access work in response to COVID-19, your municipal plan may be an opportunity to support and expand this work as an ongoing priority. If you’re unsure how to begin addressing food access, the planning process can help.

While this workshop is being led by the Northeastern Vermont Development Association, it is open to attendees from anywhere in the state, and to those not yet involved with their town planning commission.

New Funding Opportunity Through VAAFM!

Local Food in Your Community will award $25,000 of USDA funding in awards ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for projects that improve existing and emerging community-driven markets models to increase points of access to fresh fruits and vegetables and other local products in Vermont communities. Eligible projects include capital improvements or equipment purchases; technical support, project management, or design services; marketing or related education and outreach programs; innovative solutions to logistics and/or distribution; accounting or inventory tracking software or other technology; website improvements, sales platforms, or app development. Applications are due June 30, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Click for more information on eligible applicants, match requirement, timeline, and application.

June is National Dairy Month and Rooted in Vermont, the Vermont Farm to Plate Network’s local food marketing campaign, is celebrating with a marketing campaign focusing on all of the great Vermont dairy products that can be found in farm stands, farmers markets, and grocery stores around the state!

Listen to your local radio stations for the ads! The goal is to encourage consumers to seek out Vermont dairy products while recognizing the importance and hard work of the state’s dairy farmers.

How can you plug into the dairy conversation?

For stores, farm stands, markets: leverage our campaign with your own marketing, outreach and displays that put dairy up front in order to maximize sales.
Everyone: share our posts on Facebook and Instagram and overlay your own messaging on top. Also, plug into the conversation on social media through the #RootedinVermont hashtag on Instagram or @RootedinVermont on Facebook. Throughout the campaign, we will be sharing photos, posts, and stories.

If you have any questions or want to chat about how to get more involved email shane@vsjf.org.